Glass gathering device



July 1, 1941. J w s 2,247,424

GLASS GATHERING DEVICE Filed July 20, 1931 JT'-l INVENTOR: cfosz'aifl WZ.ZZZIQIYZ6;

BY- C3. Q I

- ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES FFICE GLASS GATHERING DEVICE Josiah H. Williams, Baltimore, Md.

Application July 20, 1937, Serial No. 154,652

20 Claims. .(01. 49-62) This invention relates to improvements in glass gathering devices for the gathering of glass for use in molds in the manufacture of glassware, and particularly to glass gathering devices of the punty or gatherin iron type.

In the art of gathering glass by means of a punty or gathering iron the workman both'bodily supports the iron and manipulates it for the gathering operation. In such operation the workman moves the punty forward to introduce it into the furnace, then tilts it downward to dip the punty head into the molten glass bath in the furnace, then rotates the punty axially to cause the head to take up a proper amount of glass, then tilts the punty upward to withdraw the head with the gathered charge from the glass bath, then withdraws the punty with the gathered charge thereon from the furnace to a point above the mold to be charged, the charge finally being cut or otherwise detached from the punty and allowed to drop into the mold which, is moved to a press for the article forming action. Between the stage of lifting the punty head from the glass bath and severing the charge therefrom, the operator, both before and while Withdrawing the punty from the furnace, rotates it back and forth and dips it up and down and otherwise manipulates or jiggles it in order to prevent the molten glass from dropping oh the punty head and to properly shape the charge for the severing and mold chargingaction. In this jiggling manipulation the punty must be variably rotated back and forth, moved up and down and/or moved back and forth or otherwise moved at difierent speeds according to glass conditions and the judgment of the operator, in order that a charge of the proper amount and shape may be formed. This jiggling operation is one requiring, in addition to the gla sstake up action, rare working skill and judgment on the part of the operator and isof importancein the production of proper charges, so that the tool must be under the complete control of the skilled workman to enable the gathering operation to be properly performed. I

Heretofore the practical state of the art has been such that a workman could operate only a single punty or gathering tool at a time. The amount of glass which can he gathered by one man has, therefore, been limited by his individual capacity in handling a single gathering iron, so that the work has required a large number of men in a factory turning out any considerable number of articles. made to overcome this diificulty by the provi- Attempts have been sion in a single gatherer of a plurality of punties, all mounted on a common support so as'to be moved into and out of a furnace, tilted and rotated in unison, but all such attempts, so far as I am aware, have, for one reason or another, been practically inoperative or unsuccessful, and principally for the reason that they have not allowed the workman to have the proper control over the implement. A prior type of device of this character, for example, one using motor driven gearing for suspending and rotating the punties, was found to be unsuccessful for the reason that the structure did not allow the workman to have free control of the punties for the important jiggling action, and for the reason that in the motor driven action splattering and spreading of the gathered glass on the punties would unavoidably occur on the lifting of the punty heads from the glass with the result that the gathers on the respective punties would become laterally spread and eommingled.

, The primary object of my invention is to provide a plural glass gathering device comprising two or more simultaneously operable punties which overcomes the foregoing and other objections to prior devices of this kind and whereby a commercially practical type of plural glass gathering device is furnished.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plural glass gathering device which allows the workman to have complete control over the tool for all required skilled and important manipulating actions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gathering apparatus of the character described which is simple of construction, inexpensive in production and highly durable and efficient in action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel means for supporting a gathering device comprising one or more punties whereby the operation of the device is rendered easier.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the featuresof construction,

the form of hooks.

'tate in the opening Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of the gatherer frame and parts carried thereby.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, l designates a glass melting tank or furnace having an extension 2 forming a gathering chamber into which the molten glass flows through the furnace outlet 3, said chamber be ng provided at its outer side with a gathering nin 4. jirraiged at a suitable level above that of the opening 4 is a trackway 5 on which travels a wheeled supporting carriage 6. This carriage is movable on the trackway toward and from the furnace and is limited in its outward movement by a stop 6'.

The carriage is apertured to slidably receive the upper threaded end of a hangerbar or rod 1 which depends therefrom. The said threaded upper end of this bar or rod is engaged by a nut 8 which rests on the carriage and by means of which the bar or rod may be vertically adjusted. The lower end of the bar or rod 7 has a ball and socket or universal joint connection 9 with the upper end of an inverted Vshaped or bail shaped suspending member or bracket yoke ill, one element of the ball and socket connection being formed on the lower end of the rod I and the other at the top of the bracket Ill.

The joint element of the bracket It is preferably formed rigidly with the bail arms ll of the bracket which terminate at their lower ends in bearing members I2, which are preferably in These hooks receive and engage trunnions I3 on a frame I4 which supports the gathering iron or irons 15.

The frame 14 comprises an outer portion or head 15 forming a gear chamber. From this outer portion or head extend frame arms I! united at their outer ends by a cross piece [8. In this head l6 and cross piece it are mounted for axial rotation the punties or gathering irons l5. Three such purities or gathering iron are shown in the present instance, although a greater or lesser number may be used, and each of these punties comprises a rod or bar provided at its forward end with a gathering head !9.

The rear portions "of the punties, i. e., at least those portion journaled in the head l6, are in the formv of shafts, preferably as shown, but not necessarily, integral with and forming compone'nt parts of the punty rods proper extending forwardly therefrom, the shaft portion of the center punty constituting a punty drive shaft. These shaft portions are journaled in bearing openings in the inner and outer walls of the head I6, and the parts of the shaft portions disposed between said walls are of square or other angular form in cross-section and carry gears 2;!3, the gears 28 of the respective punties bein indirectly connected by a chain 2| or its equivalent whereby all the punties are adapted to be rotated or oscillated in unison in the same direction and at the same rate of speed. Each punty shaft or punty rod is journaled at a point in advance of the head IS in a bearing opening 22 in the cross piece 18 by means of which the punties are properly alined and caused to rotate accurately in fixed planes. The gears 21] are suitably constructed so a to allow removal of the punties, or of the gears, for repair or replacements in a ready and convenient manner, while ensurin proper maintenance of the gears in position to receive the punties. To this end, each gear is f rably rovided with journals 23 which ropre 8 p in the walls of the head through which the punty rods extend. Each gear and its journals i provided with a bore of rectangular or other angular form corresponding to that portion of the punty rod which fits therein, whereby the rod may be engaged with or disengaged from its gear by an endwise sliding movement in one direction or the other through the gear and bearing openings 22 in the cross piece l8. This allows ready and convenient assemblage or disassemblage of the gatherer parts and the removal of punties or gears whenever repairs or replacements become necessary. In practice, the punty head 19 may be of such type as to permit a new head to be applied in place of a worn out or damaged one without the necessity of the removal of the punty from the frame.

As stated, a greater or lesser number than three punties may be employed, but in each case a central punty drive shaft is preferably employed, whether or not a punty is directly connected therewith, in order to maintain a balanced arrangement of the parts of the tool. Also, for the same reason, regardless of the number of punties employed, there will be always the same number of punties disposed at each side of the central .punty, if used, and the central punty shaft. It will be understood, of course, that with a two punty arrangement instead of a three punty arrangement, as shown, that part of the central punty lying in advance of either .head H5 or cross piece 3 will simply be omitted, while the central drive shaft and gearing shown will be retained.

The head IS, in addition to serving as a gear chamber, also serve as a receptacle for oil or other lubricating and cooling liquid, whereby the gear parts may be properly lubricated for easy action and the gearing and head kept comparatively cool. To further ensure easy operation of the gearing, roller, ball or other suitable antifriction bearings for the gears may be used, to make the operation of rotating or oscillating the punties sufliciently easy for the workman.

The bearing openings for the journals 23 are preferably of open type, that is, in the form of slot 24 which open at their upper ends through the upper edges of the walls of the head I 5. This allows the gears to be initially slid into position from above and readily removed, after withdrawal of the punty rods, to allow cleaning, repairs or renewal of gears to be easily and conveniently carried out. Such construction also ensures the disposition of the gear so that they will be placed in proper position with their bores in exact alinement with the bearing openings 22, so as to. allow and facilitate application and removal of the punty rods by simple sliding movements thereof. The rear ends of the punty rod shafts extend a suitable distance beyond the outer or rear wall of the head It and are threaded, as at 25, to receive adjusting nuts 26 of hand wheel or milled head type, by means of which the rods may be adjusted longitudinally, forwardly or backwardly, to properly center the punty heads I!) with relation to each other, or to maintain them in exact alinement for their conjoint gathering operations. These nuts have annularly grooved hubs for engagement with a fixed bar or other retaining means 26 on the head l4 whereby the nuts are held from other than rotary movements in fixed paths.

The outer or rear end of the shaft section of one of the punty rods of the series, the central .one as shown in the present instance, is also manually manipulate the tool and to simultaneously rotate or oscillate the punties. It is preferably provided with a milled or other form of gripping surface which will allow the workman to secure a firm grip, and it is shown in the present instance as provided at its forward end with a socket to receive the angular end 21 of the center punty rod, to which itmay be detachably fastened by a pin or other suitable fastening device 29. i

The top of the chamber in the head l6 may be closed by a suitable detachable cover 30 to protect the enclosed parts from access of dust and dirt. This cover may be detachably secured in position by any suitable type of fastening means, and it may be provided with projections 3| to extend into the bearing slot or openings 24 in the head to keep such portions of the slots closed and to obviate any liability of upward movement of the gears in their bearing slots.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the gathering device per se comprising the head l6 and the punties or gathering irons, is supported in operative position with relation to the furnace by the carriage 6 and the suspending elements I and iii depending from the carriage whereby the gathering device is suspended for travel with the carriage toward and from the furnace, thus entirely relieving the operator from the weight of the gathering device, and it will also be seen that through the provision of the ball and socket connection 9 and the pivotal connection between the hooks I2 and trunnions IS the gathering irons are pivotally mounted to swing backwardly and forwardly independently of the carriage and to be tilted vertically to immerse the gathering heads I9 in the glass in the chamber 2 and to withdraw them therefrom in the gathering operation. The'handle or pilot 28 allows all of these movements to be manually performed ina ready and convenient manner by the operator and with a minimum degree of exertion on his part. The operator also may by rotating the handle 23 on the immersion of the gathering heads ill rotate all the punties in unison and at the same gathering speedier the glass take up action to any quantity or degree determined by the skill and judgment of the operator. By means of the operating handle or pilot 23 the operator may also, on tilting the punty head I'll with their gathered char es upwardly from the glass in the furnace, rotate the punties or oscillate them backward and forward, slowly or rapidly, as required while the punty heads are still within the furnace and during their entire period of withdrawal, so that the operator may give proper motion to the punties to maintain the proper amount of glass on the heads and prevent the same from dropping off, while at the same time manipulating the gathered portions of glass to form gobs or gathers of proper shape for severence by the cutting shears and deposit in the molds. The operator, during the entire period of withdrawal of the gathering irons from the furnace with their gathered charges, may also dip the punties up and down, while rotating or oscillating them, and impart such other control motions thereto as are customarily employed by a skilled and experienced operator according to temperature or other conditions of the. glass to retain the molten glass on the punty heads and to properly shape the gathers for use. It will thus be seen that my invention not only provides for the handling in an easy and convenient manner of a plurality of punties by a single operator, but also permits the operator to manually perform the important jiggling movements required in the practical operation of the gathering device to obtain proper and uniform gathers on all the punties. The operator may also control the speed of rotation of the punties so as to prevent spattering or spreading and commingling of the glass charges on the punty heads. W'henever desired the operator by simply lifting the gathering device so as to remove the trunnions l3 from engagement with the hooks may detach the gathering device from the carriage and sustaining means to enable the gathering device to be set aside when its use is not required or to be cleaned or repaired when occasion requires.

It will be observed that by the described manner of supporting the tool from the overhead carriage or trolley the head IS is engaged at its ends with the arms of the yoke it so that the tool has two points of support, i. e.', one at each of its sides, from the overhead suspending means whereby the tool is prevented from canting, tilting or axially twisting laterally, so that it is laterally balanced. By this means the headed ends of the punties will always be automatically maintained at the same Working level for submergence in the glass. The weight of the enlarged handle 28 may also be such relatively to the weight of the puntie and arrangement of the pivot members l2 and I3 as to longitudinally balance the tool on its suspending means. ence the tool operator is relieved from the physical effort and strain of keeping the tool in balance or properly supported while manipulating it, making it easy for him to manipulate it in the skilled way required in making the gathers, practically as easy as the Work of manipulating a single punty within the gathering ranges for which the tool may be designed, that is, in making gathers of certain predetermined sizes and weights.

The chamber 2 preferably projects outward from the furnace and is arranged at a suitable elevation above the floor of the furnace room in order that working parts, not herein disclosed, may be placed thereunder if desired. Where the chamber 2 is placed at a certain high level a platform 32 may be provided on which the operator may stand to more conveniently manipulate the gatherer. The arrangement of this platform with relation to the gathering opening will be such as to allow the operator to have a clear view through the opening so that he can note the action of the gathering heads 99 while being manipulated in the gathering chamber 2. In practice, the gathered charges are designed by proper outward movement of the gatherer and downward tilting of the gatherer heads to be brought in propor position for coaction with shear devices 33 whereby the gathers are severed from the heads ill for discharge into suitably positioned molds 34. Between the shears and molds suitable guide funnels or other guide elements 35 may be arranged for an obvious purpose. The molds 34 may be of a type for forming any kind of glassware. As shown in the present instance, I preferably mount a succession of molds 343 for horizontal travel beneath the gathering tool at spaced intervals upon an endless carrier composed of sprocket chains or a belt passing around guide sprockets or pulleys 36 mounted to rotate on horizontal axes, which carrier may be operated in any suitable manner to successively bring the molds into proper position to receive charges from the gatherer. In practice, any suitable type of cutters or shears 33 may be employed and any suitable mean for manually or automatically operating the same may be employed.

While I have disclosed herein a tool which is designed to be manually rotated as well as othering means or to provide auxiliary power in connection with manually operable driving and manipulating means in drawing large and heavy gathers. It is to be understood also that a movable mold of special design, mounting and/ or arrangement may be employed to enable a plurality of molds to be simultaneously charged in a time and labor saving manner. Such special mold arrangement is not herein claimed and such special motor driven driving means is not herein detailed as they constitute subject-matter of invention covered by my application for patent, Serial No. 167,047, filed October 2, 1937.

My invention further has the advantage of enabling the gatherer to be moved to depositing position near the ring hole or gathering opening and of obviating the necessity of the operator turning around with his back to the furnace in order to charge the molds or of walking to a mold more or less distant from the furnace,

as it is simply necessary in the structural organization shown for him to tilt the tool downward to deposit the gathers imultaneously into a corresponding number of molds positioned adjacent to the furnace wall provided with the gathering Opening e and at a suitable elevation below the horizontal plane of said opening. Time and 1abor in the charging operation are furthermore saved by reason of this relative arrangement of the gathering opening and mold or molds and by reason of the fact that the stop 6' limits the;

outward movement of the carriage at the time when the gathers are positioned immediately above the shears 53 and in line with the funnels 35, which are accurately alined with the mold months, so that an automatic registering of the charges with the mold mouths is obtained.

From the foregoing description, taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved gathering device will be readily understood and its merits and advantages appreciated by those versed in the art without a further and extended description, and it will be seen that the invention provides a gatherer which allows a plurality of gathering irons to be simultaneously operated by a single workman, while allowing the workman to manipulate the punties in the usual way so that proper gathers may be secured, thus providing a practical tool for the purpose and one which overcomes objections to c imes prior devices of this kind. While the invention i particularly'designed and adapted for the operation of a plurality of punties it will also be found of great advantage, by the provision of the novel supporting means disclosed, in the mounting and handling of a single punty of large size, or punties for collecting large and heavy gathers, so as to avoid the necessity of the operator being compelled to bodily support the weight of the tool and gather.

While the structure shown is preferred, itwill, of course, be understood that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A glass gathering device comprising a support, a plurality of axially rotatable gathering irons carried by the support and provided with gathering heads, means for mounting the support and irons for movement toward and from a furnace and 'so as to permit the irons to be immersed in and withdrawn from the glass contained in the furnace, means for so moving and rotating the irons, and adjusting means for each iron connected to the support and to the iron for longitudinally shifting the iron forward or backward relative to the support to maintain a working alinement of the heads of the irons.

2. In a glass gathering tool, a frame, a plurality of gears journaled in the frame, said gears being connected for rotation in unison and in the same direction, and each gear having an axial bore, a punty carried by eachgear and longitudinally adjustable in the bore of said gear, a pilot handle for manipulating the tool and actuating the gears to rotate the punties, and motion transmitting means connected to the frame and to each punty and operable for adjusting the punty in the bore of it gear.

3. In a glass gathering tool, a frame, a plurality of parallelly arranged axially rotatable punties carried by and longitudinally adjustable on the frame, said punties being geared for rotation in unison and each punty having a threaded portion, and adjusting means for longitudinally adjusting each punty comprising a rotary member journaled on the frame and engaging the threaded portion of the punty.

4. In aglass gathering tool, a frame embodying a transversely extending channeled head having front and rear walls provided with open bearing slots, a plurality of axially rotatable punties extending at their rear ends through said slots, gearing in the channel of the head includ ing gear members on the punties journaled in said slots, means removably holding the journals of the gears in the slots, and a pilot handle for manipulating the tool and operating said gearing to rotate the punties.

5. In a glass gathering tool, a transversely disposed channeled supporting head, a plurality of punty rods extending at their rear ends through the front and rear walls of the head and having threaded portions, gearing in the channel of the head for rotating the rods, said gearing including gear elements engaging the rods and with relation to which the rods are slidably adjustable, rotary adjusting elements journaled on the head and engaging the threaded portions of the .rods

6. In a glass gathering tool, a frame including a rear transverse channeled head and a front cross piece arranged in spaced relation to the head, punty rods journaled in the cross piece and extending into the head, gearing in the channel of the head including gear members journaled in the head and connected with the rods for rotating the same in unison, and a pilot handle for manipulating the tool and operating said gearing to rotate the rods.

7. In combination, a glass melting furnace having a gathering opening, and a multiple punty unit movable toward and from the gathering opening and tiltable toward and from the glass in the furnace, said unit comprising a frame, a plurality of spaced, parallel axially rotatable and oscillatable punties journaled in the frame, spaced gears on the punties, motion transmitting means between the gears forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating or oscillating all the punties in unison in the same direction and at the same speed, a rotatabl pilot handle connected to the frame and gearing for manipulating said frame and actuating said gearing, and supporting means for the unit mounting the unit for such movements, said supporting means including spaced supporting members for mounting the unit for travel and coacting members at opposite side of the frame of unit having supporting and pivotal engagement with but normally free for disengagement from said supporting members.

8. A glass gathering tool comprising a frame, means mounting the frame for travel toward and from a furnace and for upward and downward tilting movements with relation to the glass therein, a central drive shaft journaled in the frame, shaft journaled in the frame on opposite sides of said central drive shaft, a punty rod extending from and rotated by each shaft, indirect gearing between the central drive shaft and each side haft embodying a gear on each shaft and intervening motion transmitting means between the gears for simultaneously rotating the side shaft from the central drive shaft in the same direction as said central drive shaft, and a rotatable pilot handle connected to the central drive shaft and operable for moving the frame toward and from the furnace and tilting the frame and for rotating the central drive shaft to correspondingly operate the side shafts therewith and therefrom.

9. In a glass gathering tool, a frame, a central gear journaled in the frame, gears journaled in the frame on opposite sides of the central gear, said gears being spaced from each other, a shaft coupled to each gear for rotation therewith and longitudinal sliding motion relative thereto, a punty rod extending from and rotated by each shaft, motion transmitting means between the spaced gears forming therewith indirect gearing between the central shaft and the side shafts for rotating the side shafts in unison with and in the same direction as the central shaft, a rotatable pilot member for manipulating the tool and actuating said gearing, and motion transmitting means between the frame and each shaft for slidably adjusting the shaft.

10. A multiple punty gathering device comprising a frame, a drive shaft journaled in the frame, punties arranged on opposite sides of the line of said drive shaft and having shaft portions journaled in the frame and longitudinally adjustable with relation thereto, indirect gearing between said drive shaft and shaft portions of the punties for simultaneously driving the punties in the same direction as the drive shaft and at the same rate of speed, motion transmitting means on the frame and engaging each punty for transmitting motion to and longitudinally adjusting the same with relation to the frame, and means for driving said drive shaft.

11. A multiple glass gathering device comprising a trackway, a carriage mounted on the trackway for travel toward and from a furnace, said carriage carrying open bearing supports, a plurality of parallel axially rotatable gathering tools, a channeled frame extending lengthwise in a direction transversely of the trackway and tools and in which said tools are journaled, said frame being provided at its opposite sides with trunnions pivotally engaging and tiltably mounting the same in said open bearing supports, said frame being freely releasable by upward movement bodily whereby to disengage the trunnions from said supports, indirect gearing disposed in the channel of the frame and connecting the tools for rotation in the same direction at the same speed, and a rotary pilot handle for tilting the frame and actuating said gearing.

12. A glass gathering tool comprising a frame, a plurality of punties journaled for axial rotation in the frame, means supporting said frame for movements toward and from a furnace andfor tilting movements about a horizontal transverse axis while supporting the frame against tilting movements about a horizontal longitudinal axis, indirect gearing supported with the punties on the frame for simultaneously rotating all the punties in the same direction and at the same speed, and a manually operable rotatable pilot handle operatively connected with the frame and gearing for moving the frame toward and from the furnace and tilting it about a horizontal transverse axis and for actuating the gearing to rotate the punties.

13. In combination, a glass melting furnace having a gathering opening at a side thereof, supporting means at said side of the furnace, and a glass gathering tool comprising a transversely extending frame, a plurality of shafts journaled for axial rotation in the frame, punties operated by the shafts, a motion transmitting gearing supported by said frame with the shafts and connecting all the shafts for rotating all the punties in the same direction in unison, means at each end of said frame mounting the tool on the supporting means for travel toward andfrom the furnace and for upward and downward tilting motions on a horizontal transverse axis while supporting the tool against tilting motions on an axis longitudinally of the tool. and a manually operable rotatable pilot handle operatively connected to the frame and gearing whereby the tool may be moved toward and from the furnace and tilted upwardly and downwardly on the supporting means and whereby the gearing may be operated to rotate the punties.

14. A glass gathering tool comprising a frame, a plurality of parallel shaft journaled for axial rotation in the frame, punties operated by the shafts, gearing comprising gears mounted on the shafts in spaced relation to and out of direct meshing engagement with each other and amotion transmitting means connecting the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating the punties in the same direction in unison, and a rotatable pilot handle operatively connected to the frame and gearing and providing a single mean for moving the tool toward and rotate the punties.

15. A glass gathering tool comprising a frame,

a plurality of parallel shafts journaled for axial.

rotation in the frame, punties operated by the shafts, gears mounted on the shafts in spaced relation to and out of direct meshing engagement with each other, a motion transmitting chain-engaging the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating the punties in the same direction in unison, and a rotatable pilot handle operatively connected to the frame and gearing and providing a single means for moving-the tool toward and from a furnace and tilting it toward and from the glass and for. actuating the gearing to rotate the punties. 16. A glass gathering tool comprising a channeled frame extending lengthwise transversely of the tool, a plurality of parallel shaft journaled for axial rotation in the front and rear walls of the frame, punties operated by the shafts, gears mounted On the shafts in spaced relation to each other and out of direct meshing engagement with each other and disposed in the channel of the frame, motion transmitting means disposed in the channel of the frame and connecting the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating the hafts and punties in the same direction in unison, and a rotatable 6 pilot handle operatively connected to the frame and gearing for moving the tool toward and from a-furnace and tilting it toward and from the glass and for actuating the gearing to rotate the punties.

17. A glass gathering tool comprising a channeled frame extending lengthwise transversely of the tool, a central shaft and shafts at opposite sides thereof and parallel therewith journaled for axial rotation in the front and rear wall of the frame, punties operated by the shafts, gears mounted on the shafts in spaced relation to and out of direct meshing engagement with each other and disposed in the channel of the frame,

a motion transmitting chain disposed in the channel of the frame and engaging the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for retating the punties in the same direction in unison, and a rotatable and oscillatable pilot handle operatively connected to the central shaft and forming a single means for moving the tool toward and from a furnace and tilting it toward and from the glass and for actuating the gearing to the side shafts in unison with and in the same direction as the central shaft.

18. In combination, a glass melting furnace having a gathering opening in a side thereof, supporting means at said side of the furnace, and a glass gathering tool comprising a transversely extending frame, a plurality of shafts journaled for axialrotation andoscillation in the frame,

punties operated by the shafts, spaced gears on the shafts, a motion transmitting means connecting the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating the punties in the same direction in unison, means at each end of said frame mounting the tool on the supporting means for travel toward and from the furnace and for upward and downward tilting motions on a hori izontal transverse axis while supporting the tool against tilting motions on an axis longitudinally of the tool, and a rotatable pilothandle operatively connected to the frame and gearin whereby the frame and punties may be moved I toward and from a furnace and tilted upwardly and downwardly on the supporting means and,

whereby the puntie may be rotated in the same direction in unison.

19. In combination, a glass melting furnace having a gathering opening in a side thereof, supporting means at said side of the furnace, and a glass gathering tool comprising a transversely extending frame, a plurality of shafts journaled for axial rotation in the frame, punties operated by the shafts, spaced gears on the shafts, an

endless motion transmitting chain connecting the gears and forming therewith an indirect gearing for rotating the punties in the same direction in unison, meansat each end of said frame mount- -;ing the tool on the supporting means for travel toward and from the furnace and for upward and downward tilting motions on a horizontal transverse axis while supporting the tool against tilting motions on an axis longitudinally of the tool, and a rotatable pilot handle operatively connected to the frame and gearing whereby the frame and punties may be moved toward and from a furnace and tilted upwardly and downwardly on said supporting means and whereby the punties may be rotated in unison in the same direction.

20. A glass gathering tool comprising a frame, a plurality of punties journaled for axial rotation in the frame, means supporting said frame for movements toward and from a furnace and forv tilting movements about a horizontal transverse axis while supporting the frame against tilting movements about a horizontal longitudinal axis, indirect gearing supported with the ,punties on the frame, said gearing comprising gears on the punties and an endless chain connecting aid gears, whereby all the punties are adapted to be simultaneously rotated in the same direction and at the same speed, and a rotatable pilot handle operatively connected with the frame and gearing for moving the frame toward and from the furnace and tilting it about a horizontal transverse axis and for actuating the gearing to so rotate the punties.

JOSIAH H. WILLIAMS. 

